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AUSTIN — The Texas Transportation Commission has approved funding to pay for the continued operations of air traffic control towers at 14 airports in Texas, including Tyler Pounds Regional Airport. Currently, 21% of aircraft take off and land at these towered airports in Texas. Cuts in federal funding for air traffic control services at 149 facilities nationwide are scheduled to begin in phases starting next week. “Safety is our top priority and I am glad we’re able to keep these critical air traffic control services operating,” said Texas Transportation Commissioner Fred Underwood. “As a pilot, I know firsthand how critical these services are to the safety of air traffic.”

“I applaud the commission for taking this action as it was the right thing to do for Texas,” said TxDOT Executive Director Phil Wilson. “The commission’s action today will allow these communities to partner with TxDOT during this period of transition while longer-term solutions are being evaluated and considered.”

The decision by the Commission will provide approximately $2 million for the following 14 airports for 90 days: New Braunfels (BAZ); Brownsville (BRO); Easterwood Field College Station (CLL); TSTC Waco (CNW); Lone Star Executive Houston (CXO); Georgetown Muni (GTU); San Marcos Muni (HYI); Dallas Executive (RBD); Sugarland Regional (SGR); Stinson Muni San Antonio (SSF); Collin County Regional (TKI); Texarkana (TXK) ; and Victoria Regional (VCT). Tyler Pounds Manager Davis Dickson is one of many who are very happy with the move — but he says the job’s not done. Dickson says the airport will be working with TxDOT through the 90-day period as Tyler Pounds gets ready for permanent plans to keep the control tower open.

SMITH COUNTY — A Diana man charged with criminally negligent homicide for a fatal crash last October was sentenced Thursday morning in a Smith County courtroom. Justin Echols pleaded guilty to criminally negligent homicide. He learned Thursday that he will serve an 8 year sentence for the criminally negligent homicide charge and 10 years for an accident involving injury or death, according to KETK.

Last year, Echols was driving a pickup when he lost control and crashed into a tree on Smith County Road 217, near Farm Road 850. Michele Allen, 27, of Harleton, was a passenger in the truck, and was thrown from the vehicle and pinned underneath it. She later died from her injuries. Echols left the scene of the accident on an ATV before authorities arrived. A warrant was issued for his arrest and a manhunt ensued. Echols later turned himself in to Upshur County authorities and transferred to the Smith County Jail.

RUSK — A lengthy police chase that began in Rusk ended in a crash on Hwy. 69, just outside the city, around 9:00 a.m. on Thursday. Rusk Police tell KETK that an officer attempted to pull over a driver for a traffic violation, but the driver refused to stop. The driver sped through town, running stop signs and almost running over some people crossing the road, according to authorities. Officials report the vehicle then sped down Hwy. 69 toward Alto. Authorities say the driver threw bags out the window during the pursuit.

About 5 miles south of Alto, the driver turned around and sped back to Rusk, according to police. Cherokee County DPS authorities say they laid out a spike strip to stop the vehicle. Officials report the spikes hit a tire, causing the vehicle to wreck into a street sign near Cherokee County Road 1506, just north of Rusk. There were no injuries involved.

Police say the driver, Jennifer Cross of Louisiana, was arrested and taken to the Cherokee County Jail. Authorities claim she was under the influence of narcotics, and that they found multiple prescription pill bottles in her vehicle.

RUSK COUNTY — A Henderson man is sentenced to 9 years in prison on Tuesday for kicking an EMS paramedic twice in the head during an ambulance ride September of last year. According to KETK, on Tuesday, Christopher B. Davis, 34, was found guilty of Assault on a Public servant by a Rusk County jury. The jury heard testimony from Henderson Police Officer Robby Fowler who was dispatched to the home of Davis when his family reported he overdosed on his prescribed medication and alcohol. During the ambulance ride he attacked the paramedic without provocation. Davis had been sentenced to two years in prison for burglarizing a home in 2011 and 180 days in jail for theft in 2012.

TYLER — The Tyler Economic Development Council is working on another major project, announced Thursday during the Development Council’s 24th Annual Membership Meeting. CEO Tom Mullins (pictured) says during next week’s City Council meeting, he’ll seek approval of an incentive package for the Italian company Tazza Pronto. The company plans to partner with Tyler’s Distant Lands Coffee to produce the single-serve coffee product that’s become very popular in the U.S. Mullins says he’s “95 per cent sure” the deal will go through. If it does, he says it will create 200 new jobs in the community within three to five years to go along with the 100 jobs already at Distant Lands.

Also at the annual meeting, Mullins served up a report on the Centene Medical Claims Center. He says construction is progressing on the facility on Earl Campbell Parkway and that it will eventually employ 325 people. Keynote speaker at the meeting was Tom Pauken, immediate past chairman of the Texas Workforce Commission and current GOP gubernatorial candidate. Pauken said there’s a need for career- and college-ready education in Texas. According to Pauken, that covers kids who want to attend college and those who don’t. He emphasized that young people who bypass college need to be prepared for all the technical jobs being created.

TYLER — Three persons have been injured in a Tyler explosion and fire. Shortly after 11:45 yesterday morning, a house exploded across the street from Bishop T.K. Gorman school, in the 1400 block of East South East Loop 323. According to the Tyler Fire Department, a man was said to be on fire and running down the street.

One person was transported to a local hospital with burns. He was later transferred to a Dallas Hospital and is listed in critical condition. Witnesses reported that several citizens stopped to render aid. Two were also injured and transported to area hospitals with non-life threatening injuries.

Investigators believe a worker was renovating the structure when the incident occurred. It looks like the victim was using solvents to refinish the floor in the structure. According to fire officials, vapors ignited, causing the explosion and resulting fire. The actual ignition source has not been determined.

TYLER — A suspect has been arrested following a series of incidents that spread to several locations. Shortly after 6:45 yesterday morning, Tyler Police responded to Capital One Bank at 909 ESE Loop 323 on a report of a man acting suspicious. The female caller stated that she was approached by the man as she got off the elevator to go to work. She said she felt threatened by him and got back on the elevator to remove herself from the situation, and called police.

Police say the man fled the building on foot and was later reported to be on the Lee campus causing a disturbance. The man then reportedly fled the campus on foot, went to an office building at 821 ESE Loop 323, and assaulted a female by physical contact. Police say the suspect fled that office building and was taken into custody after fleeing police in and around Loop 323 and Donnybrook.

The suspect was identified as Alvord Martin, 23, of Tyler. Martin was transported to Smith County Jail and charged with Criminal Mischief, two Class C Assaults, Burglary of Vehicle, Evading and Resisting Arrest.

TYLER — One person has been injured following a one vehicle accident in Tyler. The pickups’ driver, Charlie Shubert, 22, of Athens, is hospitalized for injuries that do not appear to be life threatening.

Investigators say Shubert was east bound on the Chandler Highway when, for unknown reasons, the pickup left the road and struck a model modular home located at American homes. The accident occurred Wednesday evening just before midnight. The accident remains under investigation.

KAUFMAN (AP) – A sheriff’s official says a man has been arrested for making a threat during the investigation into the killings of a Texas prosecutor and his wife, but there is no indication he’s connected to the deaths. Kaufman County sheriff’s Lt. Justin Lewis said Wednesday that Nick Morale, 56, has been arrested on a charge of making a terroristic threat. Lewis says Morale called the tip line established by authorities after the killings of District Attorney Mike McLelland and his wife Cynthia and used it to threaten a specific county official. Authorities aren’t identifying the official. Lewis says there’s nothing to link Morale to the McLellands’ deaths or the January killing of Kaufman County assistant district attorney Mark Hasse and he’s not a suspect in either case.

KAUFMAN (AP) — A former Texas justice of the peace convicted of theft says he voluntarily submitted to a gun residue test as part of the investigation into the weekend killings of a Texas prosecutor and his wife.

Eric Williams said Wednesday he’s cooperated with law enforcement and hopes authorities find who fatally shot Kaufman County District Attorney Mike McLelland and his wife, Cynthia. The couple’s bodies were found in their home Saturday.

The slayings happened two months after assistant prosecutor Mike Hasse was gunned down outside the Kaufman County Courthouse. Investigators haven’t named any suspects in either case.

Williams says he has no hard feelings toward McLelland’s office, which prosecuted Williams for theft last year. He says he understands authorities investigating the deaths need to conduct a thorough process of elimination.

QUITMAN — Two persons are dead in Wood County in what is believed to be a murder-suicide. The bodies of Thomas and Mary Williams, both 85, were found in their home by a relative around 11:00 Wednesday morning. Investigators say both died from gunshot wounds.

HENDERSON — A federal grand jury has indicted a former Henderson High School teacher on child pornography charges, said Sgt. David Roberts with the Rusk County Sheriff’s Department. According to KETK, James Brent Malone, 42, of Henderson is charged with one count of possession of child pornography and one count of distribution of child pornography, officials said. Malone remains in the Rusk County Jail on $10,000 bond.

TYLER — East Texas Medical Center Regional Healthcare System eyes a cutback on expenses. In a statement released to KETK, system officials say, “Throughout our organization’s history, ETMC has focused on providing the highest level of healthcare in the communities we serve throughout East Texas. Changes in the healthcare landscape are resulting in further cuts in reimbursement from Medicare, Medicaid and private insurers.

“In response to this reduction in funding, the East Texas Medical Center Regional Healthcare System is making adjustments. Across our system, we are looking to cut 5 to 7 percent from our expenses. This will result in the reduction of some services and the loss of some jobs at facilities across the region. We are making these difficult decisions in order to continue to provide the core services required by our local communities. ETMC continues to be committed to providing excellent clinical care to our patients throughout East Texas.”

TYLER — An East Texas appeals court upheld a temporary injunction keeping a gun range in Noonday from operating. KETK reports the High Noon Gun Range has been closed since the injunction was granted in June of 2012. Gun range owners face a civil suit, filed by nearby homeowners. Plaintiffs say stray bullets, noise, and property value losses are reasons for their suit. They claim the gun range is a safety concern. However, the owners say they are in compliance with state laws.

LONGVIEW — On April 15, Longview Police and local apartment complex managers will team up on a new project known as the “Yellow Card” program. Police say the project’s focus is to open lines of communication between the property managers and police. According to a news release, when the police have responded to a particular apartment in the complex, they will use the yellow cards to notify property managers of information regarding the call and people involved. Police Area Representative (PAR) Officers will also be notified of yellow card activity in the apartments in their Beats. Police say this will allow managers and PAR officers to interact more closely to solve community problems occurring in apartment complexes. For more information visit http://www.Longviewpolice.com and click on the “Yellow Card” program.

TYLER — The Smith County Veterans Service Office has begun to operate in a new location. Basic services became available Wednesday at 210 East Ferguson. According to a county news release, full services should be available again by Friday in the new quarters. Officials say they want to thank members of the public for their patience and apologize for any inconveniences during the moving process. The office had previously been in the Cotton Belt Building at Front and Glenwood.

UPSHUR COUNTY — Upshur County Authorities scheduled arraignment today for three defendants indicted for the December slaying of a mentally impaired Longview man. According to KETK, the suspects are Sarah Haslam (pictured), 20, and Daniel Jones, 19, both of Longview, along with Andrew Norwine, 21, Arlington. The trio is accused of kidnapping, beating and killing Ronnie Joe Gammage, 27, of Longview in December. Gammage’s mother, Frankie Ann Gammage, reported him missing Dec. 8. His body was found Dec. 19 in rural Upshur County. All three were expected to enter not guilty pleas.

SULPHUR SPRINGS (AP) – Authorities have continued hunting a capital murder suspect and a convicted drug offender who escaped Tuesday from the Hopkins County Jail. Hopkins County Sheriff’s Sgt. Brad Cummings says one escapee, Brian Allen Tucker, has short hair and “drop dead” tattooed on the back of his head. The inmates fled the jail in Sulphur Springs by scaling a fence or slipping through a gap in a perimeter fence Tuesday morning. Tucker, of Sulphur Springs, faces trial in the 2011 slaying of Bobby Riley of Mahoney. John Marlin King, of Cumby, pleaded guilty last month to drug possession as a habitual offender and was sentenced to 40 years in prison.

EAST TEXAS — East Texas counties are beefing up security following the weekend shooting deaths of Kaufman County DA Mike McLelland and his wife. Cherokee County Judge Chris Davis tells KETK county officials have had discussions within the department, but says it’s impossible to protect everybody all the time. In Smith County, we’re told there’s a plan in the works. Sheriff’s spokesman John Moore says, “Well when it comes to security, we’ve always been very vigilant in the county; however, this has given us a moment of pause to try and step back, take a look at all areas, and see if there are any places that we can improve.” Authorities in both counties say their hearts go out to families who lost loved ones in Kaufman County.

TYLER — A Tyler man convicted of sexually assaulting a little girl gets his punishment. Joshua Robert Williams, 28, was sentenced to 40 years in prison. Williams entered a guilty plea last Thursday. Smith County Sheriff’s deputies tell KETK the child’s mother told them she left her daughter in Williams’ care. When she returned home, the toddler was in respiratory arrest and was suffering from severe injuries.

KILGORE — Authorities have identified a pedestrian killed in a Tuesday morning wreck 4 mile south of Kilgore. He is Frank Nelson Hunter, 39, of Blossom, Texas. The wreck happened where U.S. Highway 259 business splits from Hwy. 259 north shortly after 10:15 Tuesday morning. Authorities say Hunter lost a box out of his truck bed and was hit when he went to retrieve it.

LONGVIEW — Minor damage is reported in a Longview fire. It was reported around 4:00 Tuesday afternoon at the North Huntington Hills Apartments in the 2500 block of North Eastman Road. It was said to have been started by a welding torch used by maintenance workers repairing a copper pipe. A spark from the torch ignited insulation and wooden studs. No injuries were reported.

TYLER — The Tyler Fire Department battled a blaze at a residence at 2802 Pollard Drive. The initial call was received at 9:45 Tuesday morning. Five engines and one Ladder Company, along with a district chief and an investigator, responded to the scene. Firefighters reported heavy smoke conditions upon arrival and quickly worked to bring the fire under control. The cause of the fire remains under investigation by the Tyler Fire Marshal’s Office. At least one occupant was in the residence at the time of the fire. There were no people reported injured, but KETK reports a puppy died. Authorities say additional details will be released as they become available.

AUSTIN — An East Texas-linked bill that allows for background checks for some college students sailed through the Senate and now moves to the Texas House. State Senator Tommy Williams’s legislation would give state colleges and universities the ability to check DPS files to find out whether students who want to live in on campus housing face pending charges. Williams says, “The reason for this is pretty straightforward. We had crimes that were committed on several of our campuses that happened to be at Blinn College and Kilgore College. One was a sexual assault.” Others included burglary in a dorm, and the suspect had a history of that crime. Williams says now all schools can do is check a public website. A similar bill died in the House in 2011.

TYLER — TXU Energy on Tuesday announced a new, $5 million commitment to TXU Energy Aid, termed the largest bill-payment assistance program among all electricity providers in the United States. The investment comes on top of $25 million the company gave to the program in the past five years. “This is truly a lifeline,” said Karen Swenson, executive director of GETCAP, which provides services to low-income residents in 12 East Texas counties. Kim Campbell, senior manager for customer advocacy at TXU Energy, said the program has invested $2.6 million in East Texas in the past 10 years and all of that money has helped more than 13,000 East Texans. “This means the difference between making tough choices,” said Gregg Grubb, executive director of Tyler’s PATH agency. PATH works to assist needy Smith County residents on various fronts, including utility bill assistance.

TYLER — The Tyler Transit Department has launched RouteShout, a free smartphone app that allows riders to view current bus routes and arrival times for Tyler Transit. You can go to http://www.routeshout.com to download the free app. “By adding this technology we can provide an alternative source of updated and accurate information to our customers,” said James Oliver, transportation operations coordinator. “RouteShout is an easy to use mobile app that can assist customers in their efforts to utilize Tyler Transit. Tyler is the only city in Texas using the RouteShout technology.”

Officials say citizens should still arrive at their bus stop at least five minutes before the estimated arrival time and check the next bus arrivals more than once to make sure the vehicle isn’t running faster or slower than when it was last checked.

Also, effective April 1, Tyler Transit has renamed the Red 1A Route to the #5 Purple Route to lessen confusion regarding the Red Routes that travel north and south on Broadway Avenue and through the Medical District. The #5 Purple Route will still travel through the Medical District on Beckham Avenue. It will also keep the same bus stops and bus stop times. The only change will be the number and color of the route.

For additional information or questions regarding this route or any other bus route within the Tyler Transit System, please contact Tyler Transit at 903-533-8057, 8:00am to 5:00pm Monday through Friday.

TYLER – The East Texas Food Bank is hoping the public can help them click their way to a grant from Walmart by voting for them in the “Fighting Hunger Together” initiative. Food Bank officials say that’s a national campaign in which money is awarded to programs that get the most votes for their innovative and effective programs that help alleviate child hunger.

“The East Texas Food Bank is thankful for being selected as a finalist in Walmart’s ‘Fighting Hunger Together’ campaign, which will award 40 food banks with $45,000 for their child hunger programs. If awarded, we are dedicating this money to our BackPack Program, but we need East Texans to vote,” said Dennis Cullinane, executive director of the East Texas Food Bank. “The East Texas Food Bank has more than 4,500 children participating in the BackPack Program. Athens ISD, Frankston ISD, Nacogdoches ISD, Palestine ISD, Tyler ISD and Westwood ISD are just a few of the school districts who partner with the East Texas Food Bank to provide food for children through the BackPack Program.”

Go to http://bit.ly/45KforETFB to vote for the East Texas Food Bank. Go to http://www.easttexasfoodbank.org/Programs/BackPackProgram to learn about the BackPack Program. The public will be able to vote on their favorite child hunger programs through 11:59 p.m. ET on April 30th. Descriptions of programs from across the country that are dedicated to reducing child hunger in their communities will be posted on the voting site along with a “vote” button. Visitors to the page can award one “vote” a day to their favorite program. At the conclusion of the voting, top vote getters will split $3 million in funding from Walmart.

Funding for child hunger programs is especially critical given the significant need that exists. According to the USDA, more than 16 million children in the United States struggle with hunger. Here in East Texas, one in four children are at risk of hunger.

KAUFMAN (AP) — An interim prosecutor has been chosen to fill in after the slaying of an East Texas district attorney. Brandi Fernandez will lead the Kaufman County District Attorney’s Office for the next 21 days. She had been the first assistant DA under District Attorney Mike McLelland (pictured). McLelland and his wife, Cynthia, were found shot to death in their home Saturday. Reports indicated they were shot multiple times.

Just two months ago, assistant prosecutor Mark Hasse was gunned down outside the courthouse. No arrests have been made in Hasse’s death. State law requires that the DA’s first assistant will conduct the affairs of the office until Governor Rick Perry appoints a permanent successor. Kaufman County Judge Bruce Wood says the county will submit candidates to the governor’s office.

KAUFMAN (AP) — A neighbor of the North Texas district attorney and his wife slain in their home over the weekend says she had expressed a premonition last month that there would be a repeat of the killing in January of a county prosecutor.

David Crone lived next to Kaufman County District Attorney Mike McLelland and his wife Cynthia near Forney. Crone on Monday said he and Cynthia McLelland had talked about the killing of Kaufman Assistant District Attorney Mark Hasse.

Crone says he was told by McLelland, “I really think there’s going to be more of this.” Asked if she was concerned about her husband’s safety, Crone says McLelland told him, “No, I don’t fear for Mike. I think he’s OK.” No arrests have been made in the Hasse or McLelland killings.